Headgear with retractable vertically movable eye shield



E. A. UMINSKI Oct. 10, 1967 HEADGEAR WITH RETRACTABLE VERTICALLY MOVABLE EYE SHIELD 3 Sheets-$h6et 1 Filed Dec. 9, 1965 INVENTOR. EDMIQD ,4. UM//V$/(/ ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 10, 1967 E. A. UMINSKI HEADGEAR WITH RETRACTABLE VERTICALLY MOVABLE EYE SHIELD 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

INVENTOR. EDMQO A. (/M/IVSK/ BY E. A. UMINSKI Oct. 10, 1967 HEADGEAR WITH RETRACTABLE VERTICALLY MOVABLE EYE SHIELD 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 9, 1965 IN VENTOR' 50144420 A. OM/NSKI United States Patent 3,345,642 HEADGEAR WITH RETRACTABLE VERTICALLY MOVABLE EYE SHIELD Edward A. Uminski, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Mine Safety Appliances Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 512,744 7 Claims. (Cl. 26)

This invention relates to headgear, and more particularly to protective headgear that encloses the head and face.

The type of headgear with which this invention is concerned most is provided with a transparent visor or eye shield that can be swung up and down between operative and inoperative positions, and can also be moved forward and backward to seal it around an open window in the headgear and to retract it therefrom so that it can be swung upward. Such headgear is shown, for example, in Patent 3,162,862. In that patent the means by which the visor or shield is locked in its forward position are entirely enclosed in the headgear and the flexible neck portion of the protective suit that is attached to the headgear. Consequently, such means have to be operated by gripping them through the flexible neck portion. Furthermore, the shield is raised and lowered simply by pushing up and down on it with the fingers, which leads to fingerprints and other smears on the shield.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide protective headgear with a shield which can be moved forward and retracted by means exposed at the outside of the headgear, which does not require the shield itself to be touched in order to raise and lower it, and which can be retracted and raised, or lowered and pushed forward, by one continuous movement of the operating means.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side view of the headgear;

FIG. 2 is a front view;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken on the line III-III of FIG. 2, but with some parts in elevation, showing the shield in operative position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, similar to FIG. 3, but showing the shield retracted;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the shield in its upper position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section, with the inner hat removed, taken on the line VI-VI of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical cross section taken on the line VIP-VII of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of a detail.

Referring to FIG. 3 of the drawings, a rigid hat 1 contains a conventional liner or suspension (not shown) for supporting the hat on the head. A helmet shell 2 fits over the hat and contains it and is spaced from the hat and supported by it through lugs 3 on the inside of the shell and to the bottom of which a flange around the hat is detachably connected by means of screws 4. The shell extends clown below the hat to cover the ears and to provide in front of the face a front portion, in which there is a large window opening 5 for visibility. Sealed to the lower edge of the helmet in any suitable manner is the upper end of a flexible sleeve 6 that is designed to extend down around the neck and be connected at its lower end to the neck opening of a protective suit (not shown).

Inside of the front portion of the helmet shell 2 there is a transparent visor or shield 8 for closing the open ice Window. This shield is curved transversely as shown in FIG. 6, so that its ends extend rearwardly a short distance along the opposite sides of the helmet. The shield also is curved vertically to about the same extent as the shell. Clamped between the inner surface of the shell around the Window and the adjoining marginal portion of the shield is a flexible sealing gasket 9. The gasket may be attached to either the shell or the shield, but preferably to the latter. It becomes a part of the member to which it is attached.

The ends of the shield are connected by screws 10 to the inwardly oflset front ends of cam. follower plates 11 that extend rearwardly along opposite sides of the shell close to its inner surface, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 to 9. Each of these plates is provided in its rear portion with a slot12 that extends lengthwise of the plate. Rotatably mounted in the rear end of this slot is a short shaft 13 that also is rotatably mounted in the side wall of the shell, such as by being journaled in a. bushing 14 (FIG. 8) pressed against the outer surface of the shell by a screw 15 that extends through the hub of a lever 16 and is screwed into the outer end of the shaft. The lever is non-rotatably mounted on the outer end of the shaft in order to be able to turn the shaft, and preferably extends forward from the shaft. The inner end of the shaft is rigidly mounted in the rear end of a cam plate 17 engaging flat against the inner surface of the cam follower plate. There is a sealing washer 18, which also acts as a lock washer, between the head of the screw and the lever hub. A combined sealing and antifriction washer 19 is disposed between the hub and the outer end of the bushing.

By raising and lowering the lever, the cam plate 1'7 can be swung up and down. The cam plate is shown in FIG.

0 3 in its lower position, in which the upper end portion of its front edge presses against a cam follower mounted on the cam follower plate 11. Preferably, the cam follower is a roller 21 that is rotatably mounted on the plate. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, there may be a slight recess 22 in the front edge of the cam plate to receive in its lower position the roller and help lock the cam plate in that position, in which the shield is pressed tightly against the shell around the window as shown in FIG. 3.

In order to retract the shield by swinging levers 16 upward, each two adjoining plates are provided with interengaging portions so that as the cam plates are swung upward they will pull back on the cam follower plates. For this purpose, the upper rear portion of each cam plate preferably is provided with an opening 25, into which projects a pin 26 mounted on the adjoining follower plate. When the front end of the cam plate is swung upward, the front Wall of opening will push against the pin and thereby move the follower plate backward in the shell. Engagement of the cam roller with the: front edge of the cam plate will not prevent this movement, because the front edge recedes as it extends downward to progressively shorten the distance between it and shaft 13. The shape of opening 25 is such that the cam plate can be swung part way up from its lowest position without having to rotate the follower plate, so the latter will be retracted before being tilted.

To eliminate anytendency of a cam plate to swing the shield upward while it is being retracted, a stud 28 is rigidly mounted in each side of the shell and projects through slots in the follower plates and also preferably in the cam plates too. The slot 2h in each cam plate is concentric with the supporting shaft and of such length that the stud will not interfere with the necessary movement of that plate. The follower plate is provided with two slots 30 and 31, which are connected end to end. The upper slot 30 extends forward from the stud parallel t.) to the slot 12 containing the shaft 13 and for substantially the same distance. Slot 30 prevents the stud from interfering with retraction of the follower plate when the shaft is turned, and it also compels that plate to move in a straight line. The other slot 31 in the follower plate is arcuate and extends downward from the front end of slot 30. It is in such position that it will register with the lower part of cam plate slot 29 when the follower plate is fully retracted, as shown in FIG. 4. At this time the stud will be located about half way between the ends of slot 29, and the lower front corner of the cam plate engages the bottom of the cam roller to help prevent the cam plate from being swung any farther upward relative to the follower plate beside it.

As the levers continue to be raised, all four plates now will swing upward together because the follower plates can no longer move any farther backward on stud 28. The plates can swing upward until the lower ends of the arcuate slots strike the studs, as shown in FIG. 5. The shield will be held in its elevated position by friction in the pivot joints, by the end portions of gasket 9 rubbing against the inside of the shell, or by spring latches 33. Each of these latches is fastened to the inner end of a stud 28, from which it extends downward. The lower end of each latch is bent outward to form a curved projection that will engage the lower edge of the adjoining cam plate follower when the latter is in its upper position, as shown in FIG. 5, and prevent the shield from falling accidentally. When the cam plates are swung downward by levers 16, the free ends of the spring latches ride on the inner faces of those plates.

To swing the shield down and move it forward into window-closing position, all that it is necessary to do is to swing the outer ends of the two levers forward and down. As this is done, shafts 13 first will swing all four plates down together to the FIG. 4 position, whereupon the shield is stopped by engagement of the upper ends of the arcuate slots 31 in the follower plates with the studs therein. Continued downward movement of the cam plates will cause their front edges to move down across the cam rollers and thereby push the rollers and follower plates forward, with the follower plates sliding forward on the studs and shafts in their straight slots '12 and 30 until cam recesses 22 receive the rollers. This action moves the shield into sealing position around the window in the shell, as shown in FIG. 3.

It will thus be understood that by one continuous movement of levers 16 up or down, the shield either can be retracted from the window opening and then raised, or lowered and then moved forward into sealing position around the window opening. The shield itself does not need to be touched. Since the levers are exposed at the' sides of the helmet, they are easy to manipulate.

With some types of headgear they are not designed for sealing the head and face from the ambient atmosphere, there may be no window opening for the shield to seal. In such cases, the upper edge of the shield would engage the lower edge of the front of the helmet shell, and the shield would extend down below the shell or its equivalent head-engaging member. The shield would be retracted and raised in the manner explained herein.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In protective headgear, a helmet shell for receiving the head, a horizontally curve-d transparent eye shield normally engaging the inside of the front of the shell and having rearwardly extending end portions, a shaft rotatably mounted in each side of the shell behind the shield, a cam plate rigidly mounted near its rear end on each shaft inside the shell, manually operable members rigidly mounted on the outer ends of the shafts for turning them to swing the front ends of the cam plates upward, a cam follower plate beside each cam plate and rigidly connected at its front end to the adjoining end of the shield, each follower plate being provided with a slot extending lengthwise thereof receiving the adjoining shaft in its rear end, a cam follower mounted on the follower plate in front of said slot, the front edges of the cam plates engaging the back of said cam followers to press the shield forward against the shell, an inwardly projecting stud rigidly mounted in each side of the shell beside said plates, each follower plate having a straight slot therein receiving one of the studs in its rear end and extending forward therefrom parallel to the adjacent shaft slot, each cam plate and adjoining follower plate being provided with interengaging portions for retracting the follower plate on its shaft and stud as the cam plate is swung upward a predetermined distance, the front edges of the cam plates being shaped to permit said cam followers to move backward as the cam plates are swung upward to thereby allow said retraction of the follower plates, and each follower plate being provided with an arcuate slot extending downward from the front end of its stud slot, whereby the follower plates and cam plates can be swung upward together as said shafts are turned further after the follower plates and shield have been retracted.

2. In protective headgear according to claim 1, said interengaging portions being the wall of an opening in one of the plates at each side of the helmet shell, said opening being behind the adjacent stud, and a pin projecting from each of the other plates into one of said openings.

3. In protective headgear according to claim 1, said cam followers being rollers rotatably mounted on the follower plates.

4. In protective headgear according to claim 1, said cam followers being rollers rotatably mounted on the follower plates, and each of the cam plates having a slight recess in the upper end portion of its front edge normally receiving the adjoining roller to help lock the cam plate in its lower position.

5. In protective headgear according to claim 1, said cam followers being rollers rotatably mounted on the follower plates, and each cam plate having a forward projection at the lower end of its front edge for engaging the bottom of the adjoining roller when the follower plate is fully retracted to thereby aid the cam plate in swinging the follower plate upward.

6. In protective headgear according to claim 1, each cam plate being provided with an arcuate slot therein concentric with the adjoining shaft and receiving the adjoining stud, and the arcuate slot in each cam follower plate registering with the lower part of the adjacent cam plate slot when the follower plates are fully retracted.

7. In protective headgear according to claim 6, a spring latch secured to the inner end of each stud and extending downwardly therefrom, the lower end of each latch being turned outward toward the adjacent shell and projecting under the adjoining cam follower plate when that plate is in its upper position, whereby to hold the shield in its raised position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,128,469 4/1964 Lobelle 2-6 3,162,862 12/1964 Miller 26 3,239,843 3/1966 Lobelle 26 FOREIGN PATENTS 640,428 5/1962 Canada.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

I. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR, A HELMET SHELL FOR RECEIVING THE HEAD, A HORIZONTALLY CURVED TRANSPARENT EYE SHIELD NORMALLY ENGAGING THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT OF THE SHELL AND HAVING REARWARDLY EXTENDING END PORTIONS, A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN EACH SIDE OF THE SHELL BEHIND THE SHIELD, A CAM PLATE RIGIDLY MOUNTED NEAR ITS REAR END ON EACH SHAFT INSIDE THE SHELL, MANUALLY OPERABLE MEMBERS RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON THE OUTER ENDS OF THE SHAFTS FOR TURNING THEM TO SWING THE FRONT ENDS OF THE CAM PLATES UPWARD, A CAM FOLLOWER PLATE BESIDE EACH CAM PLATE AND RIGIDLY CONNECTED AT ITS FRONT END TO THE ADJOINING END OF THE SHIELD, EACH FOLLOWER PLATE BEING PROVIDED WITH A SLOT EXTENDING LENGTHWISE THEREOF RECEIVING THE ADJOINING SHAFT IN ITS REAR END, A CAM FOLLOWER MOUNTED ON THE FOLLOWER PLATE IN FRONT OF SAID SLOT, THE FRONT EDGES OF THE CAM PLATES ENGAGING THE BACK OF SAID CAM FOLLOWERS TO PRESS THE SHIELD FORWARD AGAINST THE SHELL, AN INWARDLY PROJECTING STUD RIGIDLY MOUNTED IN EACH SIDE OF THE SHELL BESIDE SAID PLATES, EACH FOLLOWER PLATE HAVING A STRAIGHT SLOT THEREIN RECEIVING ONE OF THE STUDS IN ITS REAR END AND EXTENDING FORWARD THEREFROM PARALLEL TO THE ADJACENT SHAFT SLOT, EACH CAM PLATE AND ADJOINING FOLLOWER PLATE BEING PROVIDED 